Washington State – Tasting Pour by Jade Helm

Call a Cab: Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon

tastingpour@gmail.com — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 06:33:39 +0000

Call a Cab: The theme for one of my birthday parties (I celebrate the whole month) was a tasting of Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux style blends from Horse Heaven Hills in Washington. Many of the wines tasted were from the founding farming families – the Mercers and the Andrews, as well as wines from Chateau St . Michelle. We have had some great tasting experiences in Horse Heaven Hills, not just due to the wine quality, but because of the hospitality of the area’s hard working people.

Samples were provided. Notes were taken blind and are unbiased. Our group consisted of wine writers, wine sale professionals, sommeliers, and their interested significant others. Let’s face it. The significant others always have more interesting notes.

Not everyone liked every wine because this is the real world. Since you too will be drinking in the real word take our comments into consideration and try some of theses wines for yourself. Click the links to see complete reviews. There are some lovely options.

Click for review. 2013 Mercer Estates Horse Heaven Hills Sharp Sisters Red Blend – 47% Merlot, 41% Syrah, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Sangiovese, 1% Petit Verdot ~ $21

Click for review. 2012 Unbroken Horse Heaven Hills Blended Red – 43% Cab SAuv, 27% Merlot, 19% Malbec, 11% Cab Franc ~ $28

Click for review. 2010 H/H Estates Reserve Big John Cab, Coyote Canyon Vineyard – 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Mourvedre, 2.5% Cabernet Franc, 2.5% Malbec ~ $42

Click for review 2012 Chateau St. Michele Canoe Ridge Estate Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon ~ $36

Click for review 2013 Alexandria Nicole Quarry Butte Destiny Ridge Vineyards Estate Grown Horse Heaven Hills Red Wine 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 6% Malbec, 4% Syrah, 2% Petit Verdot ~$26

Click for review. 2013 Mercer Estates Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon ~$28

Click for review. 2012 Mercer Estates Horse Heaven Hills Cavalie Reserve – 52% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon 17% Malbec, 4% Petit Verdot ~$42

Click for review 2012 Mercer Estates Horse Heave Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Malbec, 5% Syrah, 4% Petit Verdot ~$42

Horse Heaven Hills is a fascinating agricultural mecca producing record amounts of cherries, hops, and of course fine wine. See A Swag Bag of Potatoes for the real story on Costco’s baby carrots. To learn more about the founding families and the wine history of the area Discovering Treasure in Horse Heaven Hills. Information on wineries this line up – Mercer Estates, McKinley Springs, Alexandria Nicole Cellars, Coyote Canyon Winery, Chateau Ste. Michelle

The post Call a Cab: Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon appeared first on Tasting Pour by Jade Helm.

Champoux Vineyards: Growing Greatness in Horse Heaven Hills

tastingpour@gmail.com — Tue, 13 Jan 2015 19:26:00 +0000

We had the privilege recently to break bread and taste wine with the growers and winemakers of Washington State’s
Horse Heaven Hills.

While the entire experience was extraordinary, we had an unforgettable encounter with one couple and the wines they helped produce – Paul and Judy Champoux of Champoux Vineyards.

Who said something funny? Probably Paul.

It is hard to stand out when you grow grapes in Horse Heaven Hills. The region accounts for 25% of Washington State’s vineyard acreage, there is no shortage of award winning wines and winemakers, and a small number of large families have farmed huge expanses of land since there was nothing but scrubland. Paul and Judy make a statement.

They purchased and nurtured vineyards that contain Block 1, the first grapes planted in Horse Heaven Hills by one of the founding families – the Mercers. They produced the Cabernet Sauvignon that helped Quilceda Creek earn a perfect 100 point score from Wine Advocate – in 4 vintages. They created a name that is synonymous with great Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon.

It is not just their achievements that stand out. When our group arrived at their tasting room, Paul greeted us with a big grin on his face and arms spread wide. He was so excited about Horse Heaven Hills fruit. His spirit seemed to fill the space – and we were outside. Judy, a petite brunette with a gentle smile, was the picture of cheerful efficiency as she poured wines and made everyone comfortable. There are some folks you just like right off.

It wasn’t until later that evening at dinner that we learned Paul’s spirit and Judy’s quiet strength had sustained them through a time of struggle. Paul was sitting in a wheelchair when we met him. A fact that it took me a beat to even notice given his enthusiastic personality. A mosquito bite and diagnosis of West Nile Virus 4 1/2 years ago impacted Paul’s mobility. In addition to being his business partner, Judy was his nurse. Paul is well on the mend now, tending the vineyards and even playing golf again.

I had the privilege to speak with Paul right after his last harvest. Yes, Paul and Judy Champoux are retiring. It is bittersweet. Paul was excited about the quality of the harvest and hopeful about his plans for the future.

Read the Wine Press Northwest interview here and learn more about this couple and their contribution to Washington’s wine industry.

The post Champoux Vineyards: Growing Greatness in Horse Heaven Hills appeared first on Tasting Pour by Jade Helm.

Flavors to Fall for: Squash and Sausage Soup with Pumpkin Cornbread #winepw

tastingpour@gmail.com — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 17:17:00 +0000

The other day we were driving from Portland and were delighted to see a field of bright orange baby pumpkins. The new season is upon us and with it comes the flavors we reserve for cooler days. There is something about the colors, smells, and tastes of fall that get us revved up and ready to cook. Pumpkins, squash, apples and spice we have missed you. So were are excited that this month, we and our fellow wine pairing weekend bloggers ( #winepw ) are experimenting with fall flavors.

We are lucky that our CSA with Pitchfork and Crow continues until Thanksgiving. This week’s basket included a huge dark yellow spaghetti squash, collards, onion, and cherry tomatoes. We also just picked up our pork share. Following a brisk afternoon walk through crunchy leaves, it is time for a hearty soup and seasonal bread. A recipe is brewing.

Photo and Veggie Credit to Pitchfork and Crow

Squash and Sausage Soup

Save Print

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

2 hours

Total time

2 hours 15 mins

Author: Tasting Pour

Recipe type: Entree Soup

Serves: 4 bowls

Ingredients

1 large spaghetti squash (ours was 5 lbs)
1 lb. of ground sausage (ours was spicy)
1 medium onion
2 tsp. cinnamon, cumin, coriander
½ tsp. red pepper powder (We like it spicy! Reduce if you do not)
1 tsp. salt and ½ tsp. black pepper – or to taste
1½ to 2 cups chicken stock
1 small bunch of collards
cherry tomatoes
olive oil

Instructions

Soup

Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out squash guts and seeds. Bake cut side down on a lightly oiled aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes at 350 or until soft. When squash is cool enough to handle scoop out the baked flesh and puree in a blender with a little of the chicken stock. Brown sausage in a large soup pot. Add spices and onion. (If sausage has rendered too much fat, remove some before adding spice and onion. Our sausage was locally, humanely raised and was very lean.) Add pureed squash and rest of chicken stock to the soup pot. Bring to a high simmer, then lower heat and simmer covered for 30 minutes.

Garnishes

We don’t like slimy greens. To keep our greens chewy and a little crunchy first we cut them into strips. To do this we remove the central steam, stack the leaves, roll them like a cigar, and slice thinly. Heat a small amount of olive oil in a cast iron skillet (enough to lightly coat the bottom of the pan.) Toss the collard strips in the hot pan until they turn a brighter green. You will need two hand fulls for each soup bowl as the greens will shrink. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add whole cherry tomatoes (4 – 6 per soup bowl). Cover the skillet with a lid and turn off the heat. The tomatoes will steam.
Ladle soup into bowls and top with garnishes.

We grow ’em big in Oregon

Our favorite soup side? Cornbread. We wanted a spicy fall twist and luckily had some pumpkin puree preserved from last year.

Savory Pumpkin Cornbread

Save Print

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

25 mins

Author: Tasting Pour

Recipe type: Bread

Serves: 8

Ingredients

1½ cups corn meal
1 tsp. baking powder
Pinch of baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 heaping Tbs. whole wheat flour
2 Tbs. light brown sugar
1 tsp. powdered ginger
½ tsp. powered all spice
1 egg
½ cup pumpkin puree
1 cup milk
1 Tbs. butter for skillet

Instructions

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add egg and pumpkin puree. Stir with spatula to combine. Stir in milk. Then preheat oven to 425 with a 12 inch cast iron skillet inside. The secret to making cornbread with a crusty outer layer is a hot cast iron skillet and batter that has rested about 15 minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven. Put a tablespoon of butter and distribute to cover bottom of pan as it melts. Spoon in batter and bake approximately 20 minutes.

This menu full of flavor and spice called for a wine that offers the same. We chose McKinley Springs 2010 Bombing Range Red. We had recently visited with owners/winemakers Doug and Sandy Rowell in Washington state where they live, farm, and ferment. One of the pioneering wine families in Horse Heaven Hills, they are full of great stories. Bombing Range Red is a tribute to U.S. troops and tells an interesting story about the vineyard. During WWII their farmland was used as a training ground for U.S. fighter pilots. Notice the U.S. P-40 Hawk fighter plane on the label.

Overall we find the wines of Horse Heaven Hills to be well balanced with wonderfully integrated tannins and the perfect personality to play well with dinner. Bombing Range Red is no exception. A blend of 56% Syrah, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Mourvedre, this wine offered a bright blend of red, blue and purple fruits with baking spices and a little black pepper.

At the end of our meal we turned this:

Into this:

But we will save that for another post.

Wine Pairing Weekend #5 Bloggers
Here’s what all of the bloggers have created for the October Wine Pairing Weekend!

On the Menu…

Savories
Pumpkin Lasagna with Halter Ranch’s Côtes de Paso by Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Linguine with Roasted Carnival Squash and a Garnacha by Cooking Chat
Pinot Vs. Syrah – Pork Tenderloin with Fig & Apple Sauce by Confessions of a Culinary Diva

Apple Cider Pork with Red Cabbage and Oak Aged Apple Cider by Curious Cuisiniere

Sweets

Harvest Fruits-Maple Crisp paired with a Riesling by Eliot’s Eats

Caramelized Almond Apple Upside Down Cake with a Late Harvest Riesling by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Forgotten Fire Late Harvest Riesling and Warm Apple Crisp by Grape Experiences

Peach and Ginger Cobbler and Tablas Creek Petit Manseng by ENOFYLZ Wine Blog

Surprise!
Wines for a Sweet & Savory Fall Harvest Meal by foodwineclick

Fall Fruit and Wine Pairing by Rockin Red Blog

Autumn Pumpkin Food Flair by Vino Travels — An Italian Wine Blog

Butternut Squash Risotto: White Wine or Rosé by Pull That Cork
Autumn Puff Pastry Tart and La Crema Chardonnay by It’s Okay to Eat the Cupcake

The post Flavors to Fall for: Squash and Sausage Soup with Pumpkin Cornbread #winepw appeared first on Tasting Pour by Jade Helm.

Discovering Treasure in Horse Heaven Hills

tastingpour@gmail.com — Mon, 29 Sep 2014 22:35:00 +0000

A Southeastern Washington legend tells of runaway horses discovering a remote treasure trove of native grasses to graze upon – giving name to the Washington region of Horse Heaven Hills. Pioneering farmers followed, raising sheep and dryland wheat. Then they struck gold – white gold – in the form of cool clear water. In a miracle of Biblical proportion they turned that water into wine.

It’s all Relative

The story of Horse Heaven Hills wine grape growing begins with two main pioneering families – the Mercers and the Andrews.

Five generations of Mercers have farmed in Horse Heaven Hills since 1882, owning and managing the same land since 1940. They began as sheep herders and eventually added row crops becoming the first to supply bags of baby carrots to Costco. Still in the business of diversified agriculture – carrot, onion and many other crops grow between vineyard plots.

The story of the Andrews family began with George Smith and his son-in-law Bob Andrews. Smith busted out 100,000 acres of scrubland himself before 1940. Like the Mercers, the Andrews family worked mainly with livestock in the beginning and today owns and farms about 14,000 acres with 3100 planted to vine.

Much of the vineyard land is owned and operated by the Mercer and Andrews descendants or was purchased from them. Riding around on the broad plateau of Horse Heaven Hills with Linda Mercer is a series of, “Yes, that is Mercer property. “Oh yes, and that is too.” It feels as though everyone is a cousin or uncle or at least went to high school together. In this scrubland, the alder trees are spindly but the family trees are strong.

Wells Run Deep

In the 1950’s the first well was dug and as water spouted from the ground the future of Horse Heaven Hills changed course. Doug Rowell, Owner/Winemaker at McKinley Springs (the son-in-law of Bob Andrews), tells a story of his Uncle, Byron. Byron was a well-witcher, and reasonably renowned for his skill. He could not only predict where the water was, but how much, and whether or not it would be a “gusher.” Apparently, he was also easily bored. At one family reunion in the 1950’s, he grabbed his willow branches and started wandering around. Uncle Byron said, “There’s water here.” He predicted that it was a lot of water and that WHEN they dug the well they needed to be ready to cap it. It was going to be an artesian well. Andrews believed Byron, even if the thought seemed crazy to others, and the photos in the McKinley Springs tasting room show that Byron knew his craft. Soon, other farmers began applying for water rights and dipping into the sweet water that lay deep in the ground. Irrigation transformed the dryland wheat farms into green oases dotting the desert landscape.

Turning Water into Wine

In 1972 Don and Linda Mercer were the first in Horse Heaven Hills to transition from commercial row crops and fruit orchards into wine grapes. Irrigation, sourced from the Columbia River, was added in 1968. The Mercers began with Cabernet Sauvignon, Muscat Canelli and Orange Muscat. Many of the Cabernet Sauvignon vines planted throughout the Horse Heaven Hills have been sourced as cuttings from “Block 1,” the first Mercer vines.

Linda Mercer and the first grapevines planted in Horse Heaven Hills

The Andrews planted their first vineyard in 1980. Washington wine icon, Dr. Walter Clore encouraged the Mercer and Andrews families. Doug Rowell explains that Dr. Clore said, “I think we can do this if we do it right.” Rob Andrews, Louise and Bob’s son, wanted to give it a try. Bob told Rob he could have some land, but not the best land. Rowell chuckles, “Turns out that was better for the grapes anyway.” In 1986 three of the Andrews children (Rob, Sandy, and Scott) along with their spouses founded Andrews and Rowell, continuing the family farming tradition.

“The wine trade was different in the 1980’s,” explains Doug Rowell. “We grew the grapes and then had to find someone who wanted them.” Enter Columbia Crest, Chateau St. Michelle, and the wine boom of the mid 1990’s and these grape growers were in business.

Sandy and Doug Rowell at McKinley Springs Vineyard

A Taste of Heaven

Raymon McKee, Red Winemaker for Chateau Ste. Michelle remembers, “The first time I made Merlot from Canoe Ridge I said ‘oh, yeah!’” He goes on to explain that Horse Heaven Hills is a warm growing region with cool site expression. McKee believes the winds and soils contribute to pure red fruits, like cranberries, without under ripe vegetal notes. The heat produces rich luxurious tannins. “Horse Heaven Hills is magical.” McKee beams. “The tannins are fine but have weight like a silk sheet.” This is notable because without careful winemaking, the windy Horse Heaven Hills have the potential to lead to mouth-leathering tannins.

Raymon McKee sampling Merlot from Chateau Ste. Michelle’s Horse Heaven Hills fruit

Paul Champoux, Champoux Vineyard, credits the incredible balance of alcohol, tannins and acid found in Horse Heaven Hills wines to the diurnal temperature range experienced there. He compares Horse Heaven Hills to some warmer regions. Days may be 95 degrees but night time temperatures drop. This shift helps grapes ripen fully while maintaining balanced acidity. Jessica Munnell, winemaker for Mercer Estates, describes the fruit as elegant. “In Horse Heaven Hills reds I always get a high note of cherry and dusty feminine tannins.” She describes the structure of Horse Heaven Hills Merlot as “graceful power.”

Overall the profile tends to be purity of fruit, judicious use of oak, balanced acid, and integrated tannins. Most wineries are aging reds 2-3 years and releasing bottles that are ready to drink, with some reserve wines requiring 5-6 years to show best. These are wines that play well with food. Cabernet Sauvignon is king, followed closely by blends of Bordeaux varietals. An array of varietals, from Albarino to Zinfandel are available.

Discover Your Own Treasure

Horse Heaven Hills supplies 25% of Washington’s wine grapes and the majority is purchased by Chateau Ste. Michelle. So that is a good place to start. Look for the Columbia Crest H3 line or Chateau Ste. Michelle labels that say “Horse Heaven Vineyard” or “Canoe Ridge Vineyard.”

In addition to selling fruit, most Horse Heaven Hills growers devote a small percentage of their crop to producing wine under their own labels. In 2002 McKinley Springs was opened by the Andrews and Rowell families. In 2005 Rob and Brenda Mercer founded Mercer Wine Estates, which includes three tiers of estate wines plus a single label dedicated solely to charity: Mercer Estates, Mercer Estates Reserve, Mercer Canyon and Eagle & Plow. In 2006 Mike Andrews began making wine under the Coyote Canyon Winery label and also produces wine as H/H Estates. Fine wines are made by Alexandria Nicole Cellars whose vineyard neighbors Mercer’s.

A handful of vineyard/winemakers work independently of the Ste. Michelle labels. Martinez and Martinez is a small family-run operation of second generation wine folks (cousins to the Mercers). They use hand-picked fruit from Martinez and Alder Ridge Vineyards to make small lots of well structured wines. Champoux Vineyards superb fruit, including some of those original vines in Horse Heaven Hills planted by Bob and Linda Mercer, falls into the hands of an elite and lucky group of associate winemakers. Look for labels from Quilceda Creek, Powers Winery, Andrew Will Winery and Woodward Canyon Winery.

Value Appraisal

How much is Horse Heaven Hills treasure worth? Expect to pay half or less for a Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon compared to one of comparable quality from Napa. Quite the deal when you consider the many awards that Horse Heaven Hills wines have received. The 2005 Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve was Wine Spectator’s number one wine of the year. This wine included a substantial amount of fruit from Horse Heaven Hills.

Visually, the Horse Heaven Hills does not fit the stereotypical image of “wine country.” The landscape is brown and vast. There are long stretches of nothing but barren, windblown hillside and shallow canyons, with only a few tenacious, scrubby trees and shrubs. Even the evocative name is a bit misleading. This “Horse Heaven” is more of a broad, gently sloping plateau between the Yakima and Columbia Rivers. Still today one can travel for miles without seeing another car, a gas station or even anything green. Many would have supposed the whole area to be too difficult to farm. Fortunately these growers discovered the treasure of Horse Heaven Hills.

For more stories about Horse Heaven Hills see articles from our colleagues Jameson Fink at Wine Without Worry and Mary Cressler at Vindulge.

The post Discovering Treasure in Horse Heaven Hills appeared first on Tasting Pour by Jade Helm.

A Swag Bag of Potatoes?

tastingpour@gmail.com — Mon, 28 Jul 2014 18:24:00 +0000

We went to lunch with a winemaker and all we got was a sack of potatoes… and we were thrilled.

Wine starts with farming and so did the family at Mercer Estates Winery. Farming runs in the blood, five generations deep. In fact the Mercers have farmed the same property in Washington since 1886. Beginning with row crops and moving to vines, they were the first to plant wine grapes in Horse Heaven Hills. Today they have over 2000 acres accounting for 18% of the plantings in the AVA. Somewhere along the way they became the first to supply baby carrots to Costco and we have proof at least one person with the surname Mercer is still digging up root vegetables.

The tasting lunch at Portland’s Andina Restaurant was hosted by Winemaker Jessica Munnell. Read until the end for some full frontal foodity. No fair scrolling ahead. Jessica “jumped to work at Mercer because of the vineyards, the Horse Heaven Hills fruit and the family.”

Jessica describes the fruit as elegant. “In Horse Heaven Hills reds I always get a high note of cherry and dusty feminine tannins.” Jessica enjoys the cohesiveness and mouth feel of blends. She describes a process involving blending experiments tasted over multiple days, at various times, and with as many tasters as she can recruit until she has the best possible result.

After tasting the Merlot based Bordeaux blend, Cavalie, we can appreciate her workmanship. All of the wines we tasted were food wines. The Mercer Estates 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon displayed the brightness and surprising delicacy Jessica attributes to the Horse Heave Hills fruit. While well structured, it did not overwhelm the entree. The same is true of the Mercer Estates 2013 Viognier. This varietal is known to be highly aromatic and full bodied. Many have adopted the unnecessary habit of adding wood influence. Jessica allows the Viognier to express itself subtly creating a wine that won’t wage war with your meal.

Jessica describes the Mercers as a family who are “dedicated to sustainability and future generations and who care about their staff.” Known for their generosity Mercer has created a label devoted entirely to charity, Eagle & Plow. The concept was developed because of two patriotic members of the Mercer team. Rob Mercer, President and Part Owner, served as a Captain in US Marine Corps in the 1990’s. He re-activated to serve in Iraq in 2007-2008. Vineyard Manager, John Derrick, lost his best friend on Flight 93. The Mercer family personally hand planted 911 vines in Block 93. This fall the first Eagle & Plow label will release a 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon. All proceeds will go to charities supporting people who served in and suffered from the events of 9/11.

It is nice when good wine comes from good people. Mercer produces three tiers of wines: Mercer Estates, Mercer Estates Reserve, and Mercer Canyons. Distributed in 38 states, some labels are easy to find in stores and many can be ordered online. Of course smaller productions like Jessica’s favorite Malbec (100 cases) may require a visit. For more information click here.

And now because you finished the article, here is the promised #foodporn.

Full Frontal Foodity from Andina

Lunch, tasting, and organic veggie swag bag supplied by winery, enjoyed by wine writer.

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Summer in a Glass – Maryhill Viognier

tastingpour@gmail.com — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 17:45:00 +0000

Sweetened apricots and a warm breeze carrying the scent of tropical flowers… This is Maryhill 2012 Viognier.

We tasted this wine with a virtual group via #maryhilltaste on Twitter. It was a crowd pleaser. When we were in our 20’s and too broke to go on vacation we had a staycation that involved swimsuits, the local Mexican restaurant’s outdoor seating, and large margaritas. Shame we didn’t have this Viognier then. It would have been a great choice for our festivities and we could have afforded it at ~$16.

We are not huge fans of sweeter wines. They are often out of balance and seem flabby because of lack of acidity. Not the case with this Viognier.

The Viognier grape, classic to the Rhone region in France, is known for a few things:

1. Super Aromatics. Perfume, fruit, and floral aromas leap from the glass.

2. Full Body They will be really thick on the palate, close to the weight of “half and half” creamer and they make wines high in alcohol.

3. Elusive Acidity. There is a small harvest window when Viognier grapes have a balance of sugars and acid. Miss the window and risk a flabby wine.

Kudos to winemaker Richard Batchelor for delivering aroma, body, and a balanced acidity that keeps the wine refreshing enough for a warm day. This wine is definitely feminine. Think of her as a Southern Lady. She is warm, perfumed, and voluptuous with an unexpected acidic bite. She is also a bit dangerous. Alcohol is over 14% and hides behind those flowers – so watch out.

Don’t mistake this for a dessert wine. We suggest pairing with coconut shrimp, crab cakes, chicken or pork with a fruit chutney. See tips for pairing sweet wines and pairing by weight for more insights.

We also suggest pairing Maryhill 2012 Viognier with a lounge chair, umbrella and a glass. Like any Southern Belle her company may best be enjoyed on the veranda.

Maryhill Winery is located in Washington State in the Columbia Valley and overlooking the beautiful Columbia Gorge. Their wines are available through their website and are fairly widely distributed. Look for them at Fred Meyers, Albertsons, HEB, or with your local wine retailer.Wine samples were provided by the winery and enjoyed by the wine writer.

The post Summer in a Glass – Maryhill Viognier appeared first on Tasting Pour by Jade Helm.

Favorite Bubbles

tastingpour@gmail.com — Tue, 17 Dec 2013 21:28:00 +0000

We have recently found two traditional method sparkling wines that we love – one from Oregon and one from Washington.

Treveri Cellars Sparkling Rose from Wapato Oregon. This winery specializes in sparkling wine and if this one is any indication – we cannot wait to taste them all. The rose is made from chardonnay and syrah. It is beautiful in the glass, would be a wonderful holiday party wine, or gift.

Smells like: bruised rose petals, raspberry, cherry, pink candy coating
Tastes like: fruity and floral with a terrific mousse, silky texture and extended finish.

Creamy, Bready, Dreamy

Domaine Meriwether 2001 Vintage Cuvee from Eugene, Oregon. This might be a local folks only wine but if you are local go buy it. Not all of it though because we want some more. This has all of the appeal of champagne with a $28 pricetag. Plus it was named for Meriwether Lewis – as in Lewis and Clark. How cool is that?

Smells like: like it spent 10 years on lees
Tastes like: like it spent 10 years on lees.

Thanks to our wine friends for sharing their recommendations. . .

+Richard Pascal say “Champalou Vouvray Brut is the best value I’ve found in bubbles for the last couple years. For around $25 a bottle everyone will love you.”

+Garrick McFadden who doesn’t like his bubbles “too dry” recommends Moet and made Krug part of his own “Eat Pray Love” adventure to Bali.

+Alex Lapidus is a fan of Franciacorta – sparkling wine from Italy

+Matt Herrick recommends “Any Swedish Hill Winery sparkling wine but especially the 2006 Brut!”

+grapefriend wine is recommending lots of bubbles in “12 Days of Fizzmas”

Add your favorite to the list. Make a comment below. Up next “Fizzy, Fruity, Frugal and Fun”

The post Favorite Bubbles appeared first on Tasting Pour by Jade Helm.

Wines of Owen Roe

tastingpour@gmail.com — Sun, 27 Oct 2013 17:53:00 +0000

We like wine that is delicious from the first impression through an extended finish. We like quality at all price point. We like grapes that are grown in the best climates for the varietal. These are a few of our favorite things and we found them all at Owen Roe.

Quality wine starts with quality grapes and we want our winemaker to be picky about grape selection. In addition to the estate grown grapes, Owen Roe “rents” site climates. They work with small growers to obtain grapes grown in the vineyard blocks best suited for that varietal, even if that means they buy only the fruit from a few rows within a given vineyard.

Glass in hand (of course) we visited with Garret Plocher at the Owen Roe Winery. An intricate map of Pacific NW regions and topography was on the wall. Small vineyard sites, labeled with tiny pushpins, supply grapes for single varietal bottling. “We buy the best grapes from these vineyards and make sure they are grown to our standards,” explains Garret. Cooler climate varietals like Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris are grown in Oregon vineyards. Crawford Beck Pinot Gris is their smallest single site bottling with 200 or fewer cases from 3/4 of an acre. “Eighty percent of our grapes come from Washington vineyards. It is in these warmer, drier regions that we get our Bordeaux and Rhone varietals.” Pointing to the map, “Dubrul Vineyard is our most eastern and warmest producing region.” This is the source of their barrel select Chardonnay and complex Cabernet Sauvignon. Union Gap is about 20 acres in Yakima Valley owned by Owen Roe. “The soils here are very rocky and a gap in the mountain range allows cooling air flow.” A three acre site climate of Syrah grows here on steep western facing slopes. The hot afternoon sun produces small grapes with ripe, concentrated flavors. These grapes go into the single varietal bottling labeled Syrah, Union Gap.

And if it is in your budget, you will want to include some single varietal, single site bottles in your collection because the selection process does not end with choosing the best sites. In keeping with the practices of quality wine making, grapes are kept separate and each container is marked with origin, some down to the block and the row. The best grapes will go into the bottles with the smallest geographic label. For this reason, the Lenne Vineyard Pinot Noir, made from 20 acres and 5 barrels would be more expressive of place than the Sharecroppers Pinot Noir, a blend of Pinot Noir from Lenne Vineyards plus other quality sites. Likewise the “Barrel Select” Dubrul Vineyard Chardonnay will be 100% barrel fermented using a higher percentage of new oak compared to the less specific Owen Roe Chardonnay label that contains Dubrul Vineyard Chardonnay blended with juice from other sites.

But here is what we really like. While, yes you can taste the difference in the more expensive bottles, everything we have tasted (11 of their wines so far) has been good. Ever smelled a wine that was aromatic and wonderful but wish you had just continued to smell because sipping was a disappointment? Or found the only thing worth noting was a hint of fruit or brightness mid palate? Or the wine falls off completely or worse finishes with an unpleasant aftertaste? Every wine we tried had lovely flavors from start to finish. They were all wines we would drink ourselves or be proud to serve to guests. Granted, some bottles would only be shared with guests we REALLY like.

For those of you interested in cellaring wines, Owen Roe is a great choice. Their smaller production labels are intended to age and their online product sheets suggest when they are best enjoyed. We were quite intrigued with the 2011 Dubrul Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. Still very young, but showing great potential. Components appeared sequentially across the palate = acid, then tannin, then acid again. Fruit continued at the tip of the tongue with lingering flavors of herbs and eucalyptus. With time this wine should integrate beautifully. Owen Roe recommends cellaring through 2025+. If cellaring is unfamiliar to you please see Pour or Store.

Owen Roe is in the process of moving their winery from Yamhill County in Oregon to Yakima Valley in Washington. The new location will be at the site of their Union Gap Vineyard and will be a destination winery with a view of Mt. Adams. In addition, they plan to open an Oregon winery in Newberg in 2014. You can learn more on their website. Owen Roe wines are widely distributed in fine wine stores and are available through membership in their wine club.

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Rocking Riesling and Raichlen

tastingpour@gmail.com — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 17:14:00 +0000

Who knew the creative flavors of Charles Smith, former rock band manager turned winemaker extraordinaire and Steven Raichlen, of BBQ University fame, could create such harmony. Try pairing Smith’s 2011 Kung Fu Girl Riesling with Raichlen’s Chicken Satė.

Kung Fu Girl Riesling is a dry, acidic wine made in Washington State from 100% Riesling grapes. Many who enjoyed this pairing at a recent gathering were surprised to learn that this quality wine is available at ~$15.

The satė recipe was made with chicken thighs and a coconut milk based marinade. These heavy flavors were kept lighter and brighter with the acidity from the Riesling. One way to know you have an excellent pairing is when the food and wine combine to make something better (the sum is greater than the parts). People asked if there was mango in the dish. The answer was – not at all. The wine’s stone fruit (apricot, peach, etc) and citrus lime flavors created a tropical experience with the coconut milk that added flavors beyond the basic ingredients. Two garnishes were served with the satė. A cucumber relish, that was pungent with vinegar, surprisingly further highlighted the fruitiness of the wine. Chopped peanuts, while crunchy and good, lost their punch and were diminished by the wine. Recipe sourced from Steven Raichlen’s How to Grill from Workman Press. Click here for recipes.

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Borealis Montinore Estate

tastingpour@gmail.com — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 16:53:00 +0000

Rabbit is a major protein source at my house. We raise them cruelty free in our back yard. Among other questions, people often ask, “What do you make with rabbit?” Here is a better question, “What do you drink with rabbit?”

Rabbit is all white meat. Whether you serve a red, rose or white depends on the preparation. We recently made rabbit in a white wine tarragon sauce served over homemade orecchiette pasta. I went in search of a bottle tasty enough to drink and inexpensive enough to give up a cup to my sauce. The guys at Colonial Wine and Spirits suggested a white Oregon blend called Borealis. I had tried and liked this wine before and the price was right (under $15 and I have found it on sale for $10-11).

Why this wine pairing worked . . . The flavors complimented the dish. Tarragon, mushroom, carrots, and peas are fresh delicate flavors. The wine tasted like white flowers, a hint of hay, peach blossom, and lemon juice. The weight complimented the dish. The wine sauce was made heavier with the addition of cream and homemade stock. It was also served over a thick pasta. The Borealis is a full bodied wine. It has weight and substance in your mouth and pleasantly coats the tongue. The wine was slightly off dry – which means it had a hint of sweetness on the finish. This also added a hint of sweetness to the food and the overall flavor experience. Not overly acidic, there was enough acid to balance the wine’s sweetness and to add some zest to the creamy sauce.

Borealis (bore -ē- alice) is made by Montinore Estate in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. It is a blend of the following grapes: 34% Müller-Thurgau, 34% Riesling, 17% Pinot Gris, and 15% Gewürztraminer. Vintage 2010. It is made from organic grapes.

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